In 2012 the Kyoto Protocol, which developed binding greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets to limit climate change and global warming comes to an end. In December 2009 an international climate change conference in Copenhagen comprising of members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) was convened at government level to seek international political agreement for a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. The Copenhagen conference failed to produce an international agreement and instead settled for The Copenhagen Accord.
The most recent conference in Cancun, Mexico, agreed an adaptation budget for developing countries. However, no post 2012 emissions reduction targets were agreed.
The European Union (EU) has taken the lead on the issue of climate change. In advance of the negotiations in Copenhagen it has committed to an upper level reduction of some 20% in GHG emissions from the non-traded sectors (transport, waste, agriculture, residential etc) by some Member States relative to 2005 levels.
From an agricultural policy perspective this singular policy of GHG reduction raises three substantial issues. These issues are:
- Food Independence
- Increased Emission from Carbon Leakage
- Sustainable Agriculture
The achievement of the emission reduction targets by the EU in isolation has the potential to unintentionally increase international GHG emissions and destabilise already low world food supplies.